Contents

Biography

Background

Brienne is the sole surviving child and heir of Lord Selwyn Tarth of Evenfall Hall, on the island of Tarth, located in the Narrow Sea off the coast of the Stormlands. She is unusually tall and muscular for a woman by Westerosi standards and developed a taste for martial activity as a child. Brienne has grown up to become skilled at arms and dreams of becoming a knight.[1]

Brienne's mother died when she was so young that she doesn't remember her.[2] She had some siblings but they all died in childhood.[3] As the sole heir of House Tarth, she posed a fairly promising marriage prospect for men from other noble Houses, but due to her physicality and personality has never seriously pursued a marriage alliance with another House.

She is also called The Maid of Tarth, or, disparagingly, Brienne the Beauty, due to her appearance.

Brienne joins the forces of King Renly Baratheon in the War of the Five Kings. She proves herself by winning a tournament amongst his men, including a victory over Renly's favorite Ser Loras Tyrell. She asks to be named to his Kingsguard as a reward. Renly grants her request, despite her gender and consequent lack of knighthood. Lady Catelyn Stark arrives in the camp to negotiate an alliance between Renly and her son, King Robb Stark. Brienne takes offense when Lady Catelyn doesn't refer to Renly as "Your Grace", and later, escorts her and Renly through the camp as they talk. She tells Catelyn to call her just "Brienne", as despite her birth, she doesn't consider herself a "Lady".[4]

Brienne escorts Lady Catelyn Stark.

Lord Petyr Baelish also visits Renly's camp, as an envoy from King Joffrey Baratheon. Renly tells Petyr that he does not trust him and cites Brienne as having true loyalty. This mistrust seems well founded, as Petyr offers to open the gates of King’s Landing to Renly. While in camp, he also proposes that Catelyn exchange Robb's captive Ser Jaime Lannister for her daughters. Brienne also guards Renly during an unsuccessful meeting with his brother, King Stannis Baratheon. Stannis threatens Renly for refusing to swear fealty to him.[5] Later that evening, Renly talks with Lady Catelyn in his tent, agreeing to recognize Robb Stark as King in the North, as long as Robb gives him fealty as an overlord and recognizes his claim to the Iron Throne. Brienne is removing his armor when the flap of the tent flutters as if the wind has raised it, and Melisandre's Shadow-creature materializes to stab Renly in the back, running him through. Brienne is devastated at witnessing the death, but recognizes that the Shadow had the likeness of Stannis. She cries out and catches him as he falls, getting his blood all over herself. When two other members of Renly's Kingsguard who were guarding the tent rush in, they blame Brienne for the death and attack her. She is forced to kill Sers Robar Royce and Emmon Cuy, and Catelyn convinces her to flee the camp, as she cannot avenge Renly if she is dead herself.[2]

Brienne swears fealty to Lady Catelyn.

Brienne swears an oath of fealty to Catelyn, becoming her sworn sword. They travel back to Robb's camp in the Westerlands.[2] Catelyn is devastated by news that her home Winterfell has been captured by the turncloak Theon Greyjoy and her sons made his captives. Robb, still in the midst of fighting for the Riverlands, plans to send word to a vassal in the North, the bastard of one of his commanders Roose Bolton, to free them and leaves to negotiate the surrender of the Crag.[6]

Catelyn and Brienne talk to Jaime Lannister.

Jaime escapes captivity, killing Torrhen Karstark in the attempt. He is soon recaptured, but Torrhen's father Lord Rickard Karstark demands his head in vengeance. Brienne guards Catelyn as she convinces Rickard to await Robb's return. As the hours until daylight stretch before them, the Karstarks are getting more violent and agitated, calling for Jaime Lannister's death. As it would be death to try to defend him, Brienne tells Catelyn that at this rate Jaime will not live long enough for Robb to return.[7] Catelyn decides to free Jaime in an attempt to exchange him for her two daughters, who she believes are both being held hostage in King's Landing by the Lannisters. She orders Brienne to smuggle Jaime from the camp and deliver him to King's Landing in order to secure the safety of her daughters. Brienne travels by horse until finding a rowboat to evade pursuit. She suffers the constant antagonism of her captive as he taunts her about her appearance and her likely dismal history with the opposite sex.[8]

Brienne escorting Jaime to King's Landing.

When they come upon a tree with the hanging corpses of three tavern girls who have been killed by Stark forces for having relations with Lannister men, Jaime confronts her with the atrocity committed by "her side". Brienne reminds him that she is sworn to Lady Catelyn, not the Starks. Despite their need to continue, Brienne determines to give the women a decent burial and is going to cut them down, when three of the Northern soldiers who killed the women return. Jaime tries to get her to remove his chains so he can defend them, but Brienne ignores him. She tells the men that she is escorting a prisoner back to Riverrun for justice. Jaime improvises that he is in chains for stealing a pig. Realizing that Brienne is a woman, the Stark soldiers laugh uncontrollably. Brienne suffers it in silence, and at this even Jaime seems sympathetic towards her over this rude treatment. She deflects the men's amusement by asking if the hanging women were given a quick death, and is told two of them were. When one of the men recognizes Jaime from the Battle of the Whispering Wood, Brienne is forced to fight them. She kills two quickly, but deliberately gives the third a slower death. Her skill impresses Ser Jaime, who points out that the men she killed were Stark soldiers. Brienne reaffirms that she is loyal not to the Starks but to Catelyn Stark herself, then returns to the task of cutting down and burying the tavern girls.[9]

Jaime continues to be escorted by Brienne to King's Landing. On their way there, they are spotted by a traveler. Jaime urges Brienne to kill the traveler, since he believes the man recognized him and will give away their whereabouts, but she refuses.

Brienne beats down Jaime.

​Later, the pair have to cross a river, which means they can either attempt a dangerous fording or take the bridge, which will probably be watched. Brienne takes the safer route of the bridge. Jaime distracts Brienne and grabs her spare sword. He cut his bonds and they engage in an extended sword fight on the bridge. Jaime, one of the most skilled swordsmen in all of Westeros, nearly overcomes Brienne several times. However, Jaime's mobility is reduced because his hands are still manacled, and he is malnourished after having spent the past full year chained up in a cell. Jaime begins to tire, and Brienne wears him down further by making simple body-blows with kicks and punches. After a protracted fight, Jaime finally slumps to the ground in exhaustion, after being thrown off balance. Just then, riders from House Bolton (guided by the traveler who spied them earlier) arrive led by a man named Locke, who gives the traveler silver for his services. Jaime tries to negotiate, but Locke replies that he will be executed by King Robb if he lets the Kingslayer go free, so both he and Brienne are taken prisoner.[10]

As they ride along, the Bolton men sing a rousing chorus of The Bear and the Maiden Fair. Tied up back to back on one of the horses, Jaime warns Brienne that when they make camp for the night, they will rape her, more than once, and that his honest advice is to give no resistance, and just think of Renly. They were only sent to capture Jaime, therefore Brienne means nothing to them, so at the slightest provocation they will kill her without hesitation. Brienne says she will fight even if they kill her, and Jaime agrees that if he were a woman, he would fight to the death before being raped, too.

Brienne is nearly raped.

Later that night, Locke's men make camp, and do indeed drag Brienne kicking and screaming into the bushes to gang-rape her. Jaime is disgusted by this pointless brutality, so tells he Locke that Brienne is actually a noblewoman and the sole heir of Lord Selwyn Tarth, who rules the "Sapphire Isle" which, Jaime says, mines all the sapphires in Westeros, and her father will pay them her weight in sapphires as a ransom, provided she is unharmed. Locke agrees and calls his men back before they are able to rape Brienne, and they tie her up to a tree again.[11]

Emboldened by his success, Jaime attempts to barter for his release by reminding Locke of the wealth and power of his own father, Lord Tywin. This has an adverse effect, however, and Locke, angered by Jaime's arrogance and complacency, mutilates him by cutting off his sword hand.[11] Later, while sitting with Brienne near the fire, Jaime has lost the will to live and will not eat because of his lost hand. At first, Brienne chastises him that he cannot take it when life gets real, but when she asks him why he helped her escape being raped, he does not reply, but starts eating.[12]

​After both are delivered to Harrenhal, where Jaime's infected stump is treated by Qyburn, Jaime shocks Brienne by joining her in the communal bath. Jaime mocks Brienne, saying she was unable to protect Renly. Brienne stands up defiantly, and Jaime apologizes to her. He begins to confess what really happened when he killed the Mad King. The stress of relating the tale, combined with his already weakened state, causes him to collapse into her arms. She calls aid for the Kingslayer, at which he whimpers that his name is Jaime.[13]

Brienne holds Jaime from fainting in the tub of Harrenhal.

Lord Bolton allows Jaime to leave for King's Landing, but decides to keep Brienne in Harrenhal for abetting treason, in spite of Jaime's protests. Soon afterwards, Lord Bolton departs to attend Edmure Tully's wedding at the Twins, leaving Brienne in Locke's custody. Locke attempts to ransom Brienne to her father, who offers 300 Gold Dragons for her return. He rejects the offer as derisory, having believed Jaime's earlier lie that Brienne's father owned all the sapphire mines in Westeros. Instead, he throws her into a gladiatorial pit with a bear, giving her only a wooden sword to defend herself. After hearing that Brienne has been left at Locke's mercy at Harrenhal, Jaime compels his escorts to return to save her. Jaime jumps into the pit, and with the help of Steelshanks who is bound by his duty to ensure Jaime arrives in King's Landing safely, the two of them manage to escape the pit. Locke is outraged, but Jaime insists that Brienne accompany him, adding that Lord Bolton will not be pleased if he discovers that Locke placed his own amusement over Jaime's safe return to King's Landing. Locke relents, and Brienne and Jaime depart together.[14]

Jaime and Brienne arrive at the gates of the Red Keep. At first, Jaime is apprehensive at the thought of being recognized in his current condition, but after a peasant bumps into Jaime and calls him a "country boy", Brienne smiles at Jaime, reassuring him.[15]

Several weeks after their return, Brienne visits Margaery Tyrell. After enduring Olenna Tyrell's melodrama regarding her appearance and her gratitude for putting Loras Tyrell in his place, Brienne and Margaery slip off to discuss Renly's assassination. Brienne explains what she saw and how the shadow had Stannis' face, and assures Margaery that she will find a way to avenge their king. Margaery reminds Brienne that Joffrey is their king now. Brienne apologizes for any offense given, but Margaery assures her that none was taken.

Later that day, Brienne meets with Jaime near the Red Keep's Godswood to discuss the Stark girls. Jaime seems uninterested in fulfilling his promise to the now-deceased Catelyn Stark, telling Brienne that Arya has not been seen for months and is probably dead, and Sansa is now his sister-in-law. Brienne demands that Jaime look her in the eye and say that Sansa is safe in King's Landing; Jaime is unable to do so.[16]

Brienne at Joffrey and Margaery's wedding.

Brienne is present at the wedding feast of King Joffrey and Queen Margaery. She greets the king and queen with a bow, which earns her a brash reaction from Cersei. Joffrey mistakes her for the one who assassinated Renly Baratheon, which Margaery quickly corrects. Right after, Cersei thanks her for bringing her brother back to King's Landing safely. Brienne adds that Jaime saved her on multiple occasions, which irritates Cersei. Cersei finds it interesting that Brienne served Renly, followed by Catelyn Stark, and now Jaime. Brienne states that she does not serve her brother, but Cersei wonders aloud if Brienne is in love with him; Brienne does not answer the question before leaving.[17]

Brienne talking to Jaime before she leaves.

Following Sansa Stark's escape from King's Landing, Jaime tasks Brienne with finding her and taking her somewhere safe, far away from his sister. As parting gifts, he gives her a new suit of armor and lets her keep his Valyrian steel sword, as it was reforged from Eddard Stark's greatsword Ice, and it would be appropriate to protect Ned Stark's daughter with a sword forged from his. He also sends her Tyrion's former squire Podrick Payne to accompany Brienne on her travels. During an emotional farewell on the Kingsroad, Jaime asks her to name the sword, and after a moment's thought, she chooses to call it "Oathkeeper".[18]

Brienne riding with Podrick.

While on the road, Podrick proves to be more a hindrance than a help to Brienne. He has problems with his horse and accidentally sets fire to a rabbit they were cooking. Brienne tries to get rid of Podrick by releasing him from the vow he swore as her squire, but to no avail. They are bound for Castle Black, where Brienne believes Sansa may have taken refuge with her half-brother, Jon Snow. Brienne questions Podrick about his duties as squire to Tyrion. He tells her his job was mostly pouring wine, alongside other menial tasks. Brienne then asks if Podrick did anything related to combat. Podrick reveals how he killed Ser Mandon Moore of the Kingsguard by shoving a spear through his head when he tried to kill Tyrion. Brienne then allows Podrick to help her remove her armor.[19]

Brienne and Podrick meet Hot Pie at the inn.

Later on, Brienne and Podrick stop at an inn where they are served kidney pie made by Hot Pie, who tells them at length the process in finding the right ingredients. Brienne tells him that she is in Lady Stark's service and is sworn to find and protect Sansa Stark. Hot Pie backs off, declaring the Starks traitors. As Brienne and Podrick prepare to leave the inn, Podrick reminds Brienne that telling people of their quest could be dangerous, but Brienne's honesty is swiftly rewarded when Hot Pie approaches and gives them some bread baked in the shape of a wolf. He adds that while he knows nothing of Sansa, he has seen her sister Arya, who was in the company of a man who matches the description of Sandor Clegane. Podrick, having memorized the complex family trees of the Great Houses, suggests that they head to the Eyrie, home of Lysa Arryn, Arya's aunt and the Hound's last chance for a ransom.[20]

Brienne fighting the Hound.

En route to the Bloody Gate, Brienne and Podrick stumble upon Arya and the Hound, who have just returned from The Eyrie after learning of Lysa Arryn's death. Determined to honor her vow to Catelyn Stark, Brienne urges Arya to come with her and promises to take her to safety. Arya is wary and refuses, suspecting she is working for the Lannisters after the Hound points out the golden Lannister lion on Oathkeeper's hilt. He sneers that there is no safety for Arya, as all her adult relatives are either dead or captured, and Winterfell is a ruin. When the Hound cites that, if she is unaware that nowhere is safe then she is unfit to protect Arya, she retorts that he is embracing such a fact and protecting her anyway - at this, both warriors tensely draw swords and engage in a brutal swordfight which descends rapidly into a violent fisticuff, which Brienne ultimately wins by pushing him down a cliff. When she returns to Podrick (who was supposed to be keeping an eye on Arya, but was watching the fight instead), Arya is gone. Exhausted and infuriated by her fight with the Hound, Brienne screams Arya's name repeatedly, while Arya sneaks away from them.[21]

After failing to locate Arya, Podrick asks Brienne if they intend to journey to Castle Black to see if Sansa Stark has been taken in by her half-brother Jon Snow. Brienne dismisses the idea of the two of them continuing to travel together, as Podrick is now hundreds of miles from the dangers of King's Landing. Podrick wishes to remain with Brienne as her squire in order to locate Sansa, but she sharply reminds him that she is not a knight, nor his mother. Brienne laments that the only thing she ever wanted was to fight for a lord she believed in, but now all the good lords are dead and the rest are monsters.[22]

While dining at an inn, Podrick identifies Sansa Stark sitting with Petyr Baelish. Although they are surrounded by guards, Brienne approaches them and reveals to Sansa that she swore an oath to her mother to keep her safe, but doesn't mention her run-in with Arya in Baelish's presence. Baelish counters by telling Sansa that Brienne, a complete stranger, swore oaths to protect both Catelyn and Renly Baratheon and failed at both. Sansa rejects Brienne's offer of protection while Petyr insists that Brienne stay with their group, as the roads are not safe. Sensing the trap, Brienne escapes with Podrick on stolen horses and are pursued by the guards. Brienne is forced to let Sansa and Petyr escape, since she was separated from Podrick during the chase. Brienne rescues him by slaying two of the pursuing guards, and the duo prepare to pursue Sansa and Petyr.[23]

Brienne and Podrick witness Sansa passing through Moat Cailin.

Brienne and Podrick witness Petyr and Sansa approach Moat Cailin. Realizing that following them through the castle would be futile, she decides to bypass Moat Cailin by going around. Although Podrick is worried about losing sight of them, Brienne tells him that they don't need to follow them so closely because she knows where they are going.

Making camp, Brienne learns how Podrick became Tyrion Lannister's squire. Podrick praises Brienne's martial prowess and is quite proud to be her squire, despite her behavior towards him. Brienne apologizes for her rude behavior towards Podrick and offers to teach him how to wield a sword and ride a horse properly.

Podrick then questions Brienne about her past with Renly Baratheon. She reveals that as a young girl, her father held a ball and invited dozens of young lords in order to find a good match for her. Brienne was captivated by all the attention she was getting, but her happiness turned to embarrassment when Brienne realized they were all just toying with her. Before she could run away, Renly took Brienne into his arms and told her that those "nasty little shits aren't worth crying over" and danced with her. Brienne also acknowledges that Renly was only interested in men, but it didn't stop her from loving him. She says that there is nothing more hateful than failing to protect the ones you love, and intends to avenge Renly by killing Stannis Baratheon, whom she believes played a role in Renly's murder due to Melisandre's Shadow resembling Stannis.[24]

Brienne and Podrick stay at an inn near Winterfell.

Brienne and Podrick finally reach Winterfell and take a room at a nearby inn in the Winter town. Podrick muses that Sansa is home now, but Brienne counters that a Winterfell full of Boltons is hardly safe at all. When a servant comes to bring food, Brienne engages him. Although reluctant to trust southerners, the man listens to Brienne when she says she is sworn to Lady Catelyn and is impressed when she says that her death does not release her from her vows. Brienne then reveals that Sansa is in Winterfell and she needs the old man to get a message to her. [25]

Brienne and Podrick continue to wait for Sansa's signal, watching the window of the tower at every opportunity.[26]

Brienne does her duty.

Still awaiting Sansa's signal, Brienne is alerted by Podrick of the arrival of Stannis and what is left of his army. She reluctantly abandons her mission of saving Sansa, with the candle in the tower being lit by Sansa just a few seconds after Brienne leaves. After the battle, which results in the complete annihilation of the remainder of Stannis' army, Brienne finds Stannis wounded in the Wolfswood. Stannis takes her for a woman fighting for the Boltons, but Brienne tells him her name and real allegiance. Stannis confesses his involvement in the assassination of his younger brother Renly, whom Brienne had sworn to protect as member of his kingsguard. Brienne draws her sword and sentences Stannis to death. When asked for any last words, Stannis urges Brienne to do her duty, after which she beheads him with a single stroke.[27]

With Stannis dead, Brienne and Podrick continue their search for Sansa. Eventually, they manage to find Sansa and Theon Greyjoy being apprehended by a Bolton hunting party. Brienne kills most of the soldiers on horseback, then knocks one off his horse before slitting his throat. Once all the soldiers are dead, Brienne once again offers her services to Sansa, who readily agrees this time.[28]

Brienne pledges herself to Sansa once again.

Later, while making camp, Brienne informs Sansa that Arya is alive, though she was unable to find her after defeating the Hound. After resting, Brienne and Podrick accompany Sansa to meet her half-brother Jon Snow at Castle Black. However, Theon decides not to travel with them and instead to return to his family in the Iron Islands.[29]

Brienne, Podrick, and Sansa arrive at Castle Black, where Sansa and Jon are reunited. Brienne notices Tormund Giantsbane gazing at her admirably, which makes her visibly uncomfortable. Later, Brienne confronts Davos Seaworth and Melisandre, having previously met them in the Stormlands during Renly and Stannis' parley. Having overheard Davos ask Melisandre what exactly happened at Stannis' camp after he left, Brienne openly admits that she found and killed Stannis after he admitted to murdering Renly with blood magic. Though she admits it is in the past, she claims she will never forgive Melisandre for her role in Renly's death. Brienne later shares a meal with Jon, Sansa, Podrick, Tormund and Eddison Tollett, during which Jon receives a letter from Ramsay Bolton demanding Sansa back on threat of harming him and his friends, and displays obvious anger when Ramsay mentions letting his soldiers rape Sansa one by one.[30]

Sansa and Brienne analyse their plans with Jon.

Brienne later accompanies Sansa to the ruins of Mole's Town to meet with Petyr Baelish. Though Baelish offers to help Sansa against the Boltons, Sansa accuses him of deliberately giving her to Ramsay to further his own agendas and contemplates having Brienne kill him there and then, though she lets him go after he reveals that her great-uncle, Brynden Tully, has retaken Riverrun from the Freys. At a war council, Brienne listens to Jon, Davos, and Sansa's strategies for their upcoming war with Ramsay, and is visibly concerned when Sansa claims she learned of Brynden's victory via one of Ramsay's messages. Sansa tasks Brienne with locating Brynden and recruiting him to their cause, though Brienne expresses concern at leaving Sansa, trusting Jon to protect her but remaining wary of Davos and Melisandre, who helped Stannis kill Renly, and Tormund, whose admiration of her has left her uneasy. When Brienne asks Sansa why she did not trust Jon with Baelish's information, Sansa does not answer. Brienne later leaves Castle Black with the others, starting her journey to the Riverlands with Podrick.[31]

Brienne and Podrick travel to Riverrun to deliver Sansa Stark's letter to Brynden Tully. Upon arriving, they discover that the Lannisters and Freys are besieging the castle. Soon, they are surrounded by several Lannister horsemen. Brienne tells them that she has come to see Ser Jaime Lannister and to "tell him I have his sword".

Brienne meets Jaime in a tent.

Jaime and Brienne meet discreetly in a tent. While Brienne has found Sansa, their situation is complicated by a bounty that Cersei Lannister has placed on Sansa's head. Brienne tells Jaime that she has come to secure Brynden's help in seeking reinforcements for her campaign to retake Winterfell from the Boltons. This is not possible because Jaime is laying siege to Riverrun. Brienne convinces Jaime to let her negotiate with the Blackfish so that Brynden and his men can leave the castle at night to travel to Winterfell. Before she leaves, she points out that, if she is unsuccessful, then she will be compelled by honor (to Sansa's family) to fight against Jaime. Jaime voices his hope that it doesn't come to that. She then offers Oathkeeper back to him, stating that it was given to her for a purpose, and that purpose has been fulfilled. Jaime tells her to keep the sword.

Brienne gives Sansa's letter to Brynden "Blackfish" Tully.

Brienne fails to convince the Blackfish, but in the end, the castle is taken with him as the only casualty. Just before he goes off to meet his death, Blackfish puts Brienne and Podrick into a rowboat in a secret escape tunnel. As Brienne and Podrick row quietly away in the dawn, Jaime sees her from the castle. She meets his gaze as they both wave a quiet farewell.[32]

Brienne and Podrick return to Winterfell in the aftermath of the Battle of the Bastards, and witness Jon Snow's declaration of their coming war with the Night King and pardoning of Houses Umber and Karstark. She is notably surprised, along with the other lords, when Jon announces that he expects women to be trained for the fight against the Night King in addition to men.

Brienne trains Podrick.

Brienne later tutors Podrick in the Winterfell courtyard rather sternly, but is struck by Podrick when Tormund appears and momentarily distracts her. Brienne punches Podrick to the ground without hurting him seriously and rebuffs Tormund's advances. She sees Petyr Baelish talking to Sansa on the ramparts and approaches Sansa, causing Baelish to leave. Still distrusting Baelish, Brienne asks Sansa why he is still at Winterfell. Sansa reveals that Baelish led the relief force that helped Jon Snow defeat Ramsay, though Brienne quips that Baelish is after something else.[33]

She is also present during Jon's second meeting, at which he announces his departure to Dragonstone and Sansa's control over the North.[34]

Brienne watches as House Stark is reunited.

Sansa, Bran and Arya - three of the remaining Stark children - proceed back to Winterfell's castle courtyard together, with Arya pushing Bran in his wheelchair. Brienne and Podrick see them from afar, all three of Catelyn Stark's surviving children reunited. Pod says Catelyn would be proud of Brienne, but she chides that she did next to nothing. Pod says he disagrees with "my lady", and Brienne starts to correct him that she doesn't consider herself a "lady", but then stops halfway and just thanks him for the compliment.

Brienne spars with Arya.

Some time later, Brienne is going through a vigorous sword practice session with Podrick, knocking him down when he overextends himself. Impressed, Arya interrupts and says she'd like to spar with Brienne - the woman who beat the Hound in combat. Brienne goes easy on her at first, but then Arya completely outmaneuvers Brienne using the Water Dance training she received from Syrio Forel, augmented by her training with the Faceless Men. Arya achieves many openings that would be a killing blow if she wanted them to be. Surprised that such a young girl is so skilled, Brienne stops holding back, leading to a grueling sparring session. Brienne actually manages to knock Needle out of Arya's hand but she simply switches to the Valyrian steel dagger she had in her belt. Arya uses her speed and agility to compensate for Brienne's strength and size to overwhelm her - until Brienne actually manages to bring her brute strength to bear on a fast moving target by landing a kick on Arya's chest that sends her falling down. Ultimately, they reach a stalemate, with each of them holding a blade at the others' throat. Arya takes her leave of Brienne, both mutually impressed.[35]

Brienne is sent to King's Landing.

When tensions start to arise between Sansa and Arya after the latter discovers the letter that Sansa wrote to Robb, asking him to swear fealty to Joffrey in exchange for sparing their father (which Littlefinger arranged for her to find), Sansa confides to Littlefinger, who insinuates that since Brienne swore an oath to Catelyn to protect both of her daughters, it could also mean having to protect one from the other. Apparently plotting to undermine Arya, Sansa sends Brienne to King's Landing to represent her at the parley with Cersei Lannister. Brienne objects to the idea, claiming that Sansa is not safe alone, especially with Littlefinger around, and advocates leaving Podrick behind to protect her, but Sansa refuses and sends Brienne on her way. Meanwhile, beyond the Wall, Tormund Giantsbane and Sandor Clegane, while bantering, briefly discuss Brienne when Tormund brings up his crush on her. His description of her leads Sandor to discover, to his shock, that Tormund is in love with Brienne, but he shoots down the idea of Tormund winning Brienne's heart, remembering his own encounter and battle with the Maid of Tarth.[36]

Brienne and Podrick arrive in King's Landing ahead of Jon Snow's party and are greeted by Bronn and several Lannister men. They accompany him as he welcomes Jon's party when they arrive, and Brienne is shocked to see Sandor Clegane alive and siding with the North. As they collectively walk to the Dragon Pit for the armistice meeting, Brienne tells the Hound that she thought he was dead. He remarks that she came pretty close to rendering him so. She counters that she was only trying to protect Arya, and the Hound says he was was well. Brienne tells him that Arya is alive and home at Winterfell, much to his surprise. When he asks who's protecting her there if Brienne is here, she quips, "The only one that needs protecting is the one who gets in her way." They share a smile over that.

At the meeting. Brienne stands with Jon Snow's party under their canopy and shares an uneasy glance with Jaime Lannister as he escorts his sister Queen Cersei Lannister to her canopy. She sits silently during the proceedings, witnessing Queen Daenerys Targaryen's dramatic entrance on Drogon and the revealing of the wight to Cersei and the others. In spite of this, Cersei declares that she will not stand down or help the North fight the coming war with the dead. As the meeting disperses, Brienne accosts Jaime and begs him to talk to Cersei to try to convince her to put aside their petty differences and join them in defeating the wights. Jaime doesn't believe talking to Cersei will do any good. She is seen standing with Jon's party when Cersei returns from speaking with Tyrion, apparently having decided to help the North after all.[37]

Personality

Brienne faces down the Kingslayer.

Brienne has spent most of her life as the object of scorn, rejection and – at best – pity. When she tried to dress and act like a proper lady, she was met with mockery and disdain for her unattractive appearance and lack of feminine social graces; when she turned to a career more suited to her talents as a warrior, she received only contempt and resentment for her gender despite her considerable skill. Her lifetime of scorn and condescension led her to becoming extremely pragmatic and blunt. However, it has also provided her with nerves of Valyrian steel, and she is completely unafraid to face off against warriors as powerful or as intimidating as Jaime Lannister (arguably the best sword in the realm), Loras Tyrell (a renowned warrior) and even Sandor Clegane (a physically brutal and extremely intimidating person with an infamous temper).

Perhaps because of this background, Brienne is as awkward in personality as she is in appearance; Catelyn Stark notices that she has none of the easy confidence of some other warrior women. She yearns for respect and acceptance from others, and easily gives her love and loyalty to the few people who treat her with any degree of genuine courtesy. Renly Baratheon, Catelyn Stark, and Jaime Lannister are among those who have won Brienne's friendship and service in this manner. Brienne, much like Ned Stark, is motivated by her own sense of honour and duty, thus seeing most dishonourable acts as unacceptable. She often faces situations where her honour is eclipsed and opposed by her heart, since she confessed to Jaime that her failure to sway the Blackfish would result in the two of them fighting one another again, saying so in a tone that states outright she doesn't want to fight him - even though she has a considerable chance of defeating him.

She can be headstrong, sarcastic, cynical and judgmental, but she is also honest, straightforward, loyal, and determined. Although she has received extremely poor treatment from most knights, Brienne clings to a naïvely idealized concept of knighthood. Despite – or perhaps because of – the fact that she has no expectation of ever being recognized by society for her accomplishments and strength of character, she nevertheless strives to live up to the ideal of a true knight at all times. Brienne adheres to the expectations and guidelines of knighthood almost formally, since she expressed at the climax of her fight with the Hound that she had no wish to kill him (which he ignored and continued to fight her), and also carried out the killing of Stannis Baratheon as if it were an official execution, even permitting him any last words. However, she incorrectly cited that Renly was the rightful king, even though he was second to Stannis, but this was done mostly out of personal loyalty.

Brienne has proven herself to be one of the strongest fighters in Westeros, albeit the most underrated. In combat, she relies on a combination of her intimidating size, strength, and unrelenting brute force to win most fights. This unrelenting style is what allowed her to defeat Loras Tyrell and Sandor Clegane, two of the greatest swordsmen in the realm. She could fight three men at the same time, beat two armoured soldiers in a confined space and hold her ground against Jaime Lannister. Even after she was presented with a prominent disadvantage, such as being disarmed, she would resort brutally to continue fighting, shown when she proceeded to fight the Hound even after he'd ridden her of her sword. Jaime confessed that he considered her a good fighter, even before they became friends.

Brienne of Tarth is extremely noble and humble at all times, as evidenced by her confessing at several points that she was not a knight, and at one point not even a lady - even though she was inevitably a lady of Tarth as the only daughter of Lord Selwyn Tarth. This was probably motivated by her self-induced belief that she was inferior to the standards of a true knight, given that she has faced being underrated and underappreciated for her appearance and gender her whole life. The irony of the entire situation is that she exemplifies the qualities of a true knight: She is a strong and skilled fighter, is merciful and compassionate, unshakably loyal and determined, and takes her duties as a warrior sworn to a higher authority extremely seriously. The only reason she isn't viewed as such by the people of the Seven Kingdoms is because she is a woman.

Brienne of Tarth: "In the name of Renly of the House Baratheon, First of His Name, Rightful King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm, I, Brienne of Tarth, sentence you to die. Do you have any last words?"

Behind the scenes

For her role as Brienne, Christie extensively trained to get into the right physical condition, as well as cutting off her long hair and reading all of the available novels to study her character's development in detail. She has said that Brienne is very different from her own personality and style. As a trained dancer and photography model, she favors heels and lots of make-up. In her interview with SFX magazine she talks about the way fans made her aware of the part. She found her name posted on a website as the one who should play Brienne, and then when she asked her agent about this part, he had already been emailed by another fan informing him of it.[38]

Many actresses auditioned, and Gwendolyn Christie came dressed and in character. According to author George R.R. Martin, "This was another one of those cases where there was hardly any debate. The day the first batch of auditions went up for the role, we looked at a dozen actresses who were reading for Brienne, and one actress who WAS Brienne."[39]

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Brienne is considered ugly and ungainly, but is immensely skilled at combat. She is taller and stronger than many men, and her father and his head of household guards have trained her for many years in the arts of combat. Some people consider her a freak, while other men hope to marry her to inherit her father's wealthy lands. For her part, Brienne yearns for respect, acceptance and a chance to prove her valor in a worthy cause.

Brienne is described as homely: her hair is a squirrel's nest of dirty straw; her features are broad and coarse; her teeth are prominent and crooked; her mouth is too wide; her lips are so plump they seemed swollen; a thousand freckles speckle her cheeks and brow; and her nose had been broken more than once. Her only lovely feature is her eyes, large and very blue, trusting and guileless. Very few people (Renly, Cortnay Penrose, Catelyn, and Jaime) see beyond her ugliness and realize that she is honest, decent and honorable, if also naive and stubborn.

Brienne becomes a POV character in the fourth novel. In the second and third novels, her actions are narrated from the POV of Catelyn and Jaime.

Brienne is the oldest daughter of Lord Selwyn of Tarth. She had two younger sisters but they both died in the cradle. She had an older brother named Galladon, but he drowned when she was eight years old, leaving her as Selwyn's only surviving child and heir. The TV series vaguely acknowledged this in Season 5's "High Sparrow" when she described herself as her father's only "living child". She has been engaged to marry three times (contracts made by her father, none of which ended well):

The first was Lord Caron’s younger son. Brienne was seven years old, and he was ten. They had only met the once, on the occasion of their betrothal. Two years later he was dead, carried off by the same chill that took Lord and Lady Caron and their daughters. Brienne mused that had he lived, they would have been wed within a year of her first flowering, and her whole life would have been different.

The second was Ser Ronnet Connington. He was eighteen years old, six years older than Brienne. He came to Tarth with a rose in his hand. The two of them were of a height, but she could not look him in the eye, nor say the simple welcoming words her Septa had taught her. In Ronnet's eyes she was "a sow in silk". He gave her the rose, told her it was all that she would ever have from him, and left. Years later, when Brienne defeated Ronnet during the mêlée held at Bitterbridge, it was a very sweet victory for her.

The third was Ser Humfrey Wagstaff. He was sixty-five years old, and Brienne only sixteen. The day they were betrothed, he warned Brienne that he would expect her to be a proper woman once they’d wed “I will not have my lady wife cavorting about in man’s mail. On this you shall obey me, lest I be forced to chastise you.” She was still shy despite her prowess, yet somehow she had found the courage to tell Ser Humfrey that she would accept chastisement only from a man who could outfight her. The old knight purpled, but agreed to don his own armor to teach her a woman’s proper place. They fought with blunted tourney weapons. She broke Ser Humfrey’s collarbone, two ribs, and their betrothal. He was her third prospective husband, and her last. Her father did not insist again.

When Brienne was young, Septa Roelle was her tutor. Instead of helping Brienne to gain confidence despite her ugliness, Roelle did the opposite: she kept telling Brienne that she was freakish big, mannish and slow learner, and that men talked to her kindly only because they wanted to win her father’s favor.

The books don't make specific mention of her mother: in the TV series she says that she never knew her, implying that she died when Brienne was very young. Brienne has a good relationship with her father and describes him as a good man. She notes that (since her mother died) he is in a relationship with a new female romantic interest every year or so.

According to author George R.R. Martin, Brienne in the books is supposed to be unusually tall and muscular for a woman, but not freakishly so. She is above six feet tall but not near seven feet (i.e. actress Gwendoline Christie matches this at 6 feet 3 inches). She is taller than Jaime Lannister or Renly Baratheon, and significantly more heavyset. Still, she is not quite as tall as either Greatjon Umber or Sandor Clegane (i.e. Rory McCann, who plays the latter, is 6'6").

There is widespread speculation that Brienne of Tarth is a descendant of the famous knight Duncan the Tall, who eventually rose to be Lord Commander of the Kingsguard under his friend King Aegon V Targaryen. Ser Duncan ("Dunk") and Aegon "Egg" Targaryen are the two main characters in the "Tales of Dunk and Egg" prequel novellas, which start about 90 years before Game of Thrones begins. George R.R. Martin has stated that, with time-jumps in between each story, he intends for the prequel novellas to cover the entire lives of Dunk and Egg, up until about 50 years ago. There are three pieces of evidence that Brienne might be Duncan's descendant. First, Martin actually said that a descendant of Duncan would appear in the fourth novel, but he never indicated who it was. Second, during the fourth novel, Brienne mentions in passing while selecting a new shield that she recalls an old shield from her youth which was present in her family's armory at Evenfall Hall, and the description she gives matches Ser Duncan's personal sigil (a green shooting star over a green elm tree, on a sunset-orange field). Third, though most general, is that "Ser Duncan the Tall" was famously a very tall man, nearly seven feet in height, and Brienne is unusually tall for a woman by Westeros standards. There is also speculation that Hodor may be a descendant of Ser Duncan, as Hodor is also extremely tall, over seven feet in height, and the upcoming fourth prequel novella, The She-Wolves of Winterfell, reveals that Ser Duncan traveled to Winterfell. At one point Bran Stark has a greensight vision of the past, and sees a very large man "as tall as Hodor" in the Winterfell godswood, being kissed by a slender young woman - who might have been Old Nan.

Speaking at Balticon 2016, George R.R. Martin seemed to have all but confirmed that Brienne is a descendant of Duncan the Tall: a fan asked him if he would eventually decide how Brienne is specifically descended from Ser Duncan - not "if" she is descended from Ser Duncan - and his short answer was that he hadn't decided yet. This would seem to confirm that she is descended from Ser Duncan, but Martin hadn't at the time figured out the intervening generations.[40]

She first met Renly when he came to Tarth to see her father who was his bannerman. He treated her with courtesy and respect. He danced with her, and she has been in love with him ever since. Lady Catelyn realizes this the first time she sees Brienne looking at Renly (down at him, as she stands a half-hand taller than him). Brienne always tries to be at Renly's side. She offers to guard him the night before the battle, but Renly says no as he and Loras are going to "pray together privately". He accepts her offer to come before dawn to arm him for the battle, others who hear this snicker, and Lady Catelyn thinks it sad that she is thought of as a joke, because she acts the part of a squire and dresses him just to have the opportunity to touch him.

According to Loras, Renly thought that Brienne was absurd - a woman dressed in man's mail, pretending to be a knight. Yet he kept her close, because all his other knights wanted things of him, castles or honors or riches, but all that Brienne wanted was to die for him. Loras also believes that Brienne killed Renly. When she and Jaime return to King's Landing, Loras (a member of the Kingsguard in the book narrative) confronts Brienne and orders her to draw her sword. Jaime intervenes and warns Loras that Brienne is as strong as Gregor Clegane, and if Loras duels her it will likely be his corpse that is carried away afterwards.

When Brienne joined Renly's army, he greeted her courteously and welcomed her to his service. She expected the other knights to treat her with coldness and mockery, but to her surprise many of them were exceedingly kind to her, going above and beyond the others to win her favor, except Randyll Tarly who was openly hostile toward her. Brienne was confused and suspicious to be treated so warmly. The mystery was solved when Dickon Tarly overheard by chance four knights talking about a wager that three of the soldiers put on the first who could claim Brienne's maidenhead, and many others joined the contest. Dickon told his father, and Randyll put an end to the wager, knowing that some of the challengers were less honorable than others, and it was only a matter of time before one of them decided to claim the prize by force. He told Brienne about the wager, bluntly claiming it was her fault. Brienne was deeply offended, and said that she came to fight and never did anything to encourage those knights. Randyll was not appeased, and told her that her presence alone encouraged them because a war host is no place for a maiden.

After Brienne remains at Harrenhal when Jaime is sent away by Roose Bolton, Vargo Hoat (Locke in the TV series) attempts to rape her, but she fights him off, biting off his ear in the process. Jaime is amused when he later learns that the wound festered, driving Hoat half mad with the pain.

When she is dispatched by Jaime to find and protect Sansa Stark, Brienne spends most of her time in the Riverlands, fruitlessly seeking information on Sansa's whereabouts. Podrick Payne runs away from King's Landing and meets up with her, hoping that if they find Sansa, they will also find Tyrion Lannister. She and Pod never encounter Arya Stark or the Hound, though they do meet Rorge (who is posing as the Hound) and Biter. Brienne kills Rorge, but is badly wounded in a savage fight with Biter. They also encounter several dispersed Brave Companions, with Pod saving Brienne's life in the subsequent encounter. Their quest eventually leads them to the Brotherhood Without Banners.

Brienne never finds Sansa and thus does not travel to Winterfell to rescue her, nor does she kill Stannis Baratheon. She does meet up with Jaime Lannister again while he is pacifying the Riverlands, but has no involvement in the siege of Riverrun. In the TV series, her storyline has been somewhat merged with that of Mance Rayder, who infiltrates Winterfell to rescue Arya Stark from Ramsay (unaware that it is a disguised Jeyne Poole), although unlike Mance, Brienne ultimately does not enter Winterfell.

Brienne and Cersei have no interactions throughout the novels. On the fifth novel Cersei is told that Jaime was seen in Brienne's company. She vaguely remembers Brienne as "a huge, ugly, shambling thing who dressed in man's mail". It is unknown where she met Brienne; since Brienne was arrested at Jaime's order (for her own protection) as soon as they entered King's Landing, and left shortly after Jaime released her, Cersei could not have met her.

Brienne always presents herself or is announced as "Brienne of Tarth", and never "Brienne Tarth", which would also be correct. The reason for this naming preference is not known.

Brienne's name did not appear in the Season 1 Pronunciation guide, but the phonetic pronunciation of her name was later seen written out in a behind-the-scenes short video: "bree-ANN".[41]